His Butler, White as Snow
by Captain Spunker
Summary: Sebastian wasn't always a demon. When forgotten memories resurface, he sets out to become human again. Then surprise, surprise! Ciel's father Vincent shows up at the Phantomhive estate, alive! Now everyone's wondering why Sebastian resembles Vincent so much. Secrets come to light, a family is reunited, and new adventures begin!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, Captain Spunker again! A bunch of _Kuroshitsuji_ fans have pointed out the resemblance between Sebastian and Ciel's father Vincent, which apparently Yana Toboso has said is intentional. Yours truly, being the avid conspiracy theorist that she is, came up with an explanation that is probably a far cry from what the author of _Kuroshitsuji_ intended, but I absolutely love it, and that's all that matters, right?**

 **Quick warning: There are a few angsty parts, especially in this first chapter. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads-up!**

* * *

 _In a tiny village in the middle of an enormous forest lived a young man and his beautiful wife. The couple had just welcomed the birth of their first child, their beautiful child with milky skin, ebony hair, and ruby eyes. The boy was the spitting image of his father, except the man had dark blue-gray hair, dark brown irises, and a small mole under the corner of his left eye. He smiled down at his sweet child._

 _"_ _Look at his eyes!" the baby's mother exclaimed. "Such a pretty red!"_

 _"_ _Red for courage," his father mused. "Do you think this means he'll be a brave soldier for our dear Lord?"_

 _"_ _Oh, I hope so, dearest. Although… he can't be a soldier if he doesn't have a name."_

 _Husband and wife chuckled at the joke. "What shall we name him, then, my love?" the man asked._

 _The woman gazed at her child in thought. "I want it to be something spiritual, a testament to his Maker. Something pious and good…"_

 _"_ _Selah."_

 _The woman beamed. "Oh, dearest, that's a lovely name! I wonder why I didn't think of it!"_

 _The man chuckled. "I like it as well. It suits him, don't you think?"_

 _He took the cooing baby from his wife's arms and held him close. "My sweet, precious son. You are an answer to our prayers, and I will never cease loving you. Never forget that you are always in our hearts, and before all else set God at the center of your life. It is to Him that you owe everything… my dearest Selah."_

* * *

 _"_ _Tabitha!"_

 _The young man frowned and crossed his arms. "Where on earth could that ridiculous cat be? Oh, I hope she's not in Mrs. Petersen's flowers again! That poor woman has had enough going wrong for her lately as it is!"_

 _At twenty-one-years old, Selah had blossomed into a beautiful young man. His raven bangs parted in the middle, with two long pieces near his temples hanging down to his chin. His slender body, though weak from prior illness, had matured into a tall and shapely thing, with his silky skin as pure and white as snow. And his rosy eyes sparkled with health and joy and thankfulness at being alive._

 _He would be— sort of already was— much sought after by the ladies of the village if not for those same eyes._

 _When he had been christened, the priest had taken one look at the red orbs and declared the baby a child of Satan. "Red eyes are unnatural and a sign of the devil!" he'd cried. Selah's parents had begged him to baptize the child anyway, which he did with great reluctance. Unfortunately, that incident had marked the boy as an outcast, and the village had given him plenty of grief over the years. Poor Selah tried his best not to let it bother him— after all, God_ ** _had_** _made him this way, and who would he be to deny the Lord's gifts? But it was getting more and more difficult to ignore the others' cruel remarks and snide glances, especially since he came of age._

 _Selah shook his head._ I best try asking around, _he thought._ Who knows what antics she's in up to her tail?

 _He left the cottage and went in search of the errant black cat. Making his way to the fountain at the center of town, he paused at the crowd of young women gathered around and chattering in excitement._ That's odd. What are they doing besides just gossiping?

 _"_ _Mrrowwwwwwww!"_

 _Selah gasped. "Tabitha?!" He ran over and pushed his way through the crowd, stopping short at the edge of the fountain. Tabitha yowled, standing on her hind legs in the fountain, soaked to the bone. The distraught young man scooped her out and clutched her to his chest. He turned to the ladies and frowned. "Why on earth would you torture a poor creature like this? You know cats hate water!"_

 _One of the girls giggled. "But she looked so funny all wet like a drowned rat!"_

 _"_ _W-What? Funny? But harming or scaring an animal isn't funny at all! You're supposed to be devout women of the Lord, how can you treat His creation like this?"_

 _"_ _Devout?! You should talk! You act sooooo pious and true when everyone knows you're a demon-child in disguise!" another girl cried. At that, Selah's eyes welled up with tears._

 _"_ _But I'm n-not! Just because m-my eyes are r-red doesn't mean I'm ev-vil!" he sobbed out. He ducked his head and fled the group, running for his house._

 _After he dried Tabitha off, he climbed onto his bed with her and lay there weeping. The cat mewed, sensing her friend's hurt, and snuggled close to him. Selah stroked her glossy fur, sniffling._

 _"_ _I don't understand, Tabitha. They're all supposed to be followers of God! How can they act this way? How can they do all the Catholic church requires of them and still be so cruel? Have they not been saved?"_

 _Tabitha purred. Selah's eyes widened as he came to a realization._

 _"_ _They haven't been saved…. Of course! How else could they say one thing and do another? Doing good things doesn't automatically make one a Christian— anyone can do good things and look pious without having a changed heart! Good things can be done for evil reasons! Why didn't I think of that before? …But that means I don't know how to be saved. If works can't do it, then what will?"_

 _He sighed. "If only I could read the Bible at the chapel, perhaps I could find the secret to salvation…. Getting someone to help won't be easy, and Father can't read Greek. What am I to do, Tabitha?"_

 _"_ _What do you mean, what are you to do? Why the sad face, my darling?" Father peeked in the room. Sebastian glanced up._

 _"_ _Father!" he cried. "Oh, Father, it's awful!" Father's eyes widened and he rushed to his son's side, scooping him up._

 _"_ _What's awful, sweetheart?"_

 _Selah sniffled. "I'm— not— s-saved!" he sobbed. "I don't know h-how! I c-can't just do good w-works and expect G-God to l-let me in to h-heaven! But what else a-am I to d-do?"_

 _Father's face clouded with shock at the source of his child's pain. "Oh, sweetheart! I… I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that. Your mother and I grew up believing we could be saved if we behaved appropriately and loved God in all our ways. If that's not true, then that means this whole village is in dire need of salvation and doesn't know how to access it."_

 _"_ _We need to h-have the Bible translated s-so everyone can read it." Selah had calmed down and wiped his face with the sleeve of his long cloak. "That's th-the only way we can know…."_

 _"_ _I should speak to Father Gerschlenn, in that case. God willing, he'll listen to reason and get started on it immediately; projects like that take a long time, and so many people need to hear the truth."_

 _"_ _I hope he_ ** _will_** _agree."_

* * *

 _That night, after Selah had fallen asleep, Father sat on the edge of his bed, frowning. "It hurts to see him in such anguish."_

 _"_ _Our son?" Mother asked. "Our son is injured?"_

 _"_ _Not his body, but his soul. He told me this afternoon that he wasn't saved because he didn't know how to be. You know how dearly he desires to be close to the Lord."_

 _"_ _Not saved? Our precious, sweet, loving, devoted child— not_ ** _saved_** _? I don't understand! Certainly such a pure soul as his has secured his place in heaven!"_

 _Father sighed. "That's just it, though. He does everything right— forgetting his mistakes, he's essentially perfect— but he believes that doing good is not enough to save him. He says that the townspeople do the same good works, yet they treat him like rubbish, and he doesn't think a true Christian would discriminate against someone simply because of the eye color God gave them."_

 _"_ _That's… rather perceptive, actually," Mother murmured. "A true Christian would avoid hurting a fellow brother, not take every chance they have to bully them. Why didn't we see this earlier?"_

 _"_ _I've been wondering that myself, and it makes me think: how many others have realized this?"_

 _"_ _I don't know. What are you going to do about it?"_

* * *

 _"_ _You can't be serious!" Father Gerschlenn huffed. "The Lord's Holy Bible is not for just anyone to read! Someone could easily misinterpret its meaning and go on a horribly wrong path!"_

 _"_ _Shouldn't that be for us to decide? After all, haven't you been doing some misinterpretation yourself? Where exactly does it say that good works are what get us into heaven?" Father pointed out. Gerschlenn's eyes widened._

 _"_ _Whoever put this idea to you? Have you been listening to that good-for-nothing wife of yours again?"_

 _"_ _Good-for-noth— how dare you slander her! She is, and always has been, faithful to me alone!"_

 _"_ _She slept with the devil! How do you think your illegitimate son came about?"_

 _Father gasped. "That boy is_ ** _my son!_** _I know it because he looks almost exactly like me! And besides, his utmost desire is to be close to God. How can you refuse him that simply because you don't like the way God made him? No child of Satan would ever dream of getting close to Him, they would stay as far away from Him as possible!"_

 _"_ _He's putting on a show, don't you see it? He acts like the perfect little child because he's trying to draw you away from the truth, which he's done a marvelous job by the way, and bring you towards Hell! He wants to make you doubt your faith and lead you into heresy!"_

 _"_ _If that's so, then why didn't you answer my original question?"_

 _"_ _I already did!"_

 _Selah stifled a sigh as he listened to their argument from his hiding spot in the shadows._ No, you didn't, Father Gerschlenn, and my father has caught your mistake.

 _"_ _I'm afraid that's not the question I'm talking about. I asked where exactly in the Bible does it explicitly say that good works are the way we must be saved."_

 _"_ _I— well— that's heavily implied!"_

 _Father frowned. "If God wanted His people to be saved, and good works were the only way to achieve that salvation, then don't you think He would've expressly stated it?"_

 _"_ _This is why laymen aren't allowed to have access to the Bible! You're not interpreting it correctly!"_

 _"_ _Is that so? Or do you refuse to acknowledge that there is a flaw in your theology?" Father asked._

 _Gerschlenn spluttered, frustrated._

 _Father saddened. "I suppose I'll take my leave, then." He turned on his heel and exited the chapel, shaking his head. Gerschlenn shut and locked the doors behind him, then turned and headed up the flight of stairs towards the belfry, leaving Selah alone in the darkened church._

Well, how am I supposed to get out now?

 _Selah made his way into the sanctuary and crept along the wall, feeling for the handle to the side door. It might be locked at this hour, but at least he didn't need a key to unlock it. "Ouch!"_

 _He'd bumped into one of the supporting pillars by accident. Selah grimaced and rubbed his hurt foot._ Oops. I should probably get accustomed to the darkness first.

 _He waited, and bit by bit he could see the different shapes of the pews, the pillars, and the altar. He made to take a step— and felt something very evil next to him. He turned to look and found himself staring at glowing fuchsia eyes._

 _He screamed._

 _Selah ran for the side door, crying for help. Just as he burst out into the sunset, the sanctuary exploded in flames. The ravenette fell to the ground and gazed up at the burning building in horror, too stunned to do anything else._

 _Someone called his name— was it Father?— but he couldn't respond, his eyes fixated on the blaze before him. Bile rose in his throat at the thought that he could be in the fire right now if he hadn't been quick enough._

 _"_ _Selah! Sweetheart? Say something, you're scaring me!"_

 _Selah tore his gaze from the fire, gasping and trembling, and vomited on the ground. Father gave a little cry. "S-Selah? Selah?" Tears leaked out onto his face. "Someone help me! M-My son! He won't respond!" He pulled the young man onto his lap and cradled his face, sobbing. "Please! Anyone! He needs help!"_

 _"_ _He's the reason the fire started!" a villager yelled. "He ran out right before the place blew!"_

 _"_ _No…" Father whispered. "No, you wouldn't do that, would you, sweetheart? You wouldn't… burn it down, you want to get close to God so badly…. Sweetie? Selah? Can you hear me?"_

 _"_ _Get him out of here! He's a menace!" Several men seized the red-eyed man and tore him from his father's hands. Father shrieked in horror and grabbed at his son, but they held him back._

 _"_ _Give me back my son! You can't take a child from his parent! Selah!"_

 _Selah gasped and snapped out of his daze. "F-Father?"_

 _"_ _Selah! Sweetheart!"_

 _"_ _Father!" Selah reached for his father, but the crowd drove them apart. "FATHER! Help me!" He struggled against the men holding him, but to no avail._

 _"_ _EVERYONE QUIET DOWN!"_

 _Gerschlenn emerged from the chapel's front doors, singed but unhurt. Selah gave a little cry of relief, and his knees went weak. "Father Gerschlenn! You're all right! Thank heavens!"_

 _"_ _SILENCE!" the priest roared. "Throw him into the woods outside the village! I never want to see his falsely angelic face ever again!"_

 _"_ _What? Why?" But the men dragged him away. "No. No! FATHER!"_

 _"_ _SELAH!"_

 _"_ _FATHERRRRRRR!"_

 _Selah bawled as the men hauled him out into the forest and threw him down a steep hill. He rolled down the hill and stopped some distance from its foot, curling into a ball and sobbing._

 _"_ _Don't ever come back, devil-child!" one of the men yelled as they left._

 _No… Father…_

* * *

 _Selah lost all track of time as he lay on the ground. It was only when someone picked him up that he quit zoning out, but by then he'd been dumped in a sack and hoisted over the person's shoulder. He whimpered and wrapped his arms around his knees. Several minutes passed before he was set down. Around him, strange music played and people shouted in a bizarre language. Then someone opened the sack and ripped him out, leading him toward a black altar surrounded with torches and naked people. A figure cloaked in black loomed over the altar with a dagger in his hand._

 _Selah shrieked and clutched his rosary. He was about to become a pagan sacrifice!_

 _He struggled with all his might, but the men brought him over to the altar and bound his hands and feet. He screamed when they tore the rosary off of him and chucked it on the ground where the other acolytes trampled it. That had been a coming-of-age gift from his father and all he'd had of him until now. Then they hoisted him onto the altar and the executioner raised his knife._

 _Selah looked up into the night sky, tears streaming from his eyes and his heart filled with despair._ Is there _anyone_ who can save me now? Would you rescue me, Lord, unsaved as I am? Please hear my cry!

 _The black figure stabbed him. Blood exploded from his stomach and mouth, and he went limp, still staring into the night._

 _"_ _My. What delicious despair. What enticing defeat. Your soul would be most delicious, I imagine."_

 _Selah turned his head at the cruel voice and beheld the evil spirit he'd sensed in the chapel. The demon's fuchsia eyes gleamed. "But instead I have a different idea."_

 _Agony raced through his body and plunged him into darkness._

* * *

 _He stood before the demon, not remembering anything at all and not really caring. "What am I?"_

 _"_ _You are a demon," the creature answered._

 _"_ _What is my name?"_

 _The thing gave a wicked grin. "You don't have one."_

* * *

 _"_ _What is your name?"_

 _The red-eyed demon smiled. "It is whatever my lord wishes it to be."_

 _"_ _Sebastian."_

Sebastian screamed and woke up— and remembered.


	2. Chapter 2

Sebastian trembled. _No… It can't be…. Mother, Father! No!_

He didn't know how long it took for him to calm down, but the sun hadn't risen yet. He stared at his hands in his lap, the pain in his heart throbbing. Slipping off his left glove, he gazed at the hateful pentagram.

 _I want to go back. I want to be human again._

He knew that if he were to do so, he would never be able to work for Ciel and protect him as efficiently as he did now. _But that's not as important. After all, thanks to my long life, I've learned how to be saved. I wonder if I could be a good influence on my master?_

Sebastian made up his mind. He rose and dressed, then slipped out of the manor, promising to return as soon as possible.

* * *

The angel stared down at the kneeling butler. "I never expected this. A demon praying sincerely to the Father."

Sebastian averted his eyes. "I wasn't— I mean— I'm not really a demon. Not a true one, anyway. I was changed into one and had my memories of my prior life buried."

"I… see. Do you remember your Christian name?"

"Selah. Selah Michaelis."

The angel gave a small smile. "Ah, yes, I remember. The boy who wished so desperately to be near to Him." He frowned. "Turning a false demon back into a human shouldn't be difficult, but you're under contract at the moment. Are you prepared to accept the ramifications that come with breaking the contract?"

"I don't think I would be here tonight if I hadn't already accepted them."

"Good. Then let's begin."

* * *

"Good morning, young master. Time to wake up."

Ciel groaned and frowned. "Tanaka?"

"I'm afraid Sebastian is not available at the moment. He left a note saying he was out but would be back as soon as he could."

Ciel huffed. "I see. Pass me my eyepatch, would you?" He sat up, covering his right eye with his hand, and accepted the patch. Just then, _CRASH!_

The teen sighed. "Please go see whatever mess it is they made and clean it up." Tanaka nodded.

"As you wish, my lord." He bowed and left.

Ciel uncovered his eye and glanced at the tea sitting on the trolley by his bed. He caught his reflection on the silver kettle and squinted. _Something's not right._ He threw the covers off and ran to the mirror, lifting up his bangs to get a good look at his contract eye.

The pentagram was gone.

Ciel clenched his hands into fists. "Sebastian…" He threw his head back and roared, "SEBASTIAN!" _I was a fool! He_ ** _left_** _me in the middle of the night! That no-good, worthless, scumbag liar! How dare he! I didn't even do anything to break the contract!_

"My lord?"

Ciel whipped around and found Tanaka standing in the doorway. The steward smiled. "I see your eye has finally healed, my lord." The young earl started. "If I may, I think you should leave the eyepatch off so that your vision can readjust. Or if you wish to continue wearing it, then I see no problem with that."

Ciel looked down and sighed. Maybe if he didn't wear the eyepatch, he could guilt Sebastian into remaking the contract when he got back. If he got back. _And now that I think about it, he could have been… killed…._

As Tanaka helped him dressed, the older man queried, "Why the long face, my lord? Are you worried about Sebastian?"

"I'm afraid so."

"You know he's quite the capable man. I'm sure he's just fine." The steward finished and stood. "Breakfast will be ready soon, my lord."

"Thank you, Tanaka. You may leave."

"Young master! Young master!" Mey-rin burst into the room. "You have a guest, yes, you do! Arrived just this mornin', he did!"

"A guest? I don't recall that being on the schedule. Did he say why he was here?"

"He says he wants to see you very badly, my lord! Oh, and pardon me for sayin' so, but he looks a lot like your late father." Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Just thought I'd give you a heads-up, my lord, yes, I did!"

"That's bizarre. Very well, then. Mey-rin, set an extra place for him and let him know he'll be joining me for breakfast."

"Yes, my lord!" She saluted. "Oh! You're not wearing your eyepatch today! Your eye looks good as new!"

* * *

Ciel stopped at the top of the staircase and stared at the man before him. _It can't be!_ But who else could the man pass for with his dark grey hair, brown eyes, pale skin, and the tiny mole near the corner of his left eye?

"Ciel?" the man whispered brokenly.

Ciel ran down the steps and stood before the man. His eyes narrowed. "How can I know you're really my father?"

The older blunette bent down and murmured something in his ear. Ciel's eyes widened. "Only Father would know that!" He glanced up at his father, who smiled.

"Oh, sweetheart." Vincent embraced his son and held him tight as the boy sobbed. "I'm finally home, Ciel. I'm so sorry it took me this long, but I'm back now."

"You were _dead!_ " Ciel cried. "You were dead and I was taken away from you! Why didn't you come for me?!"

The elder Phantomhive sighed. "I think we need to talk about a great many things." He stroked his son's hair. "Tell you what. Your maid mentioned breakfast, so why don't we go eat and have our discussion there?"

Ciel sniffled. "I-I suppose…."

* * *

Sebastian stood panting at the doors to the estate. The "cleansing," as he called it, must have taken longer than he thought— Ciel would be having breakfast right about now. _Good thing I left that note_ , he mused. _Ciel will surely be furious once he sees the contract mark is gone. Perhaps I should ask one of the other servants to notify him of my return._

He had entered the manor and headed towards the kitchen when he collided with Mey-rin. "Goodness! Are you all right?" he asked as he helped her up. The maid blushed bright right.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine, Sebastian, yes, I am!"

"Ah. Good. Is my young master having breakfast at the moment?"

"That he is, sir! And," she leaned close towards him, "his resurrected father is in there with him! They've finally been reunited!" She squealed in delight.

"I— Y— Vincent's _alive?!"_ Sebastian stammered, flabbergasted.

"Yes, indeed! Oh, it's like the perfect ending to a good book, yes, it is!"

Sebastian cleared his throat. "Right. Mey-rin, if you would be so kind as to alert the young master of my return?"

"Yes, sir!"

Sebastian continued to the kitchen and proceeded to help Bard with cleanup. _My, it feels so good to be my true self again. I wonder what Ciel will think when he sees my real personality? Although, to be honest, he probably doesn't want a weak butler… and he might let me go…. But I'm sure I could continue to serve him without being a butler…._

Soon it was time for Ciel's afternoon tea. Both the earl and his father were in the study, so Sebastian made tea for both of them. He rolled the cart to the study and knocked on the door. "Your tea, my lord."

"Who is that?" asked a familiar voice. Sebastian's heart stuttered. _That's…_

"That would be my butler Sebastian with tea. Come in, Sebastian."

The ravenette opened the door and pushed the trolley in, freezing when the guest gasped. He turned and beheld a very familiar face, thanks to his returned memories.

"Selah?"

Sebastian's eyes widened. "F-Fath—" he choked out. He covered his mouth and sank to the floor, shaking. Vincent ran to him and hugged him close.

"I thought I'd never see you again," said the older man. Sebastian clutched at his shirt and leaned his head on his father's chest, tears running down his cheeks.

" _Ahem._ "

The two glanced up at Ciel, who glowered at them. "Explanation. _Now._ "

* * *

"So you're not really a demon?"

Sebastian shook his head as he served Ciel a slice of chocolate cake. "No, my lord. I'm sorry if I gave you a fright, what with the contract mark gone."

"Well, you came back, at least."

Sebastian served Vincent some cake as well. "What about you, Father? What have you been doing since I left?"

Vincent sighed. "After they threw you out, I looked everywhere for you. Your mother was heartbroken when she found out what they did, and she… took ill. I didn't think she'd make it. I left town and traveled all over; one night, I came across an old woman who said she could help. I guess in retrospect she did, though at the time I didn't think so. She essentially turned me immortal— that is, I can't die or age. Other than that, I'm just as mortal as anyone else." He paused. "I learned so much over the centuries while I was searching for you. Then about twenty or so years ago I met a young man who looked just like me. He was a descendent of mine and very fond of fantasy and the supernatural, so he wasn't _too_ surprised when I told him I was his ancestor. His family found out about me just in time: soon after, he was murdered by an enemy, and they asked me to take his place to keep the family name alive. Then I married Rachel Dalles and had Ciel," he finished.

"No wonder you and Aunt Frances don't get along."

"Well, personally I think she holds me responsible for her brother's death. I wouldn't be surprised if that really were the case."

"Great. Just great. My father's alive, my butler's his son—"

"Which would make us half-brothers," Sebastian finished.

Vincent narrowed his eyes. "I won't have you two thinking of each other as mere half-brothers. No, your mothers are not the same, but I don't care. You both are _my_ blood and flesh, and I expect you to treat one another like siblings. That being said, Selah is not to continue serving us like this. He's the son of a nobleman, he should get the same treatment as you, Ciel."

"I… suppose that's only fair," the teen replied. "But— we'll have to hire a new butler to replace him."

"Don't worry about that," Vincent assured him. "I already have someone in mind. Oh, what else do we need to do? Selah needs a new room and wardrobe, so we should plan a shopping trip soon."

"Very well, then." Despite himself, Ciel smirked. "I knew there was a reason we got along so splendidly, Sebastian."

Vincent clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Now! What's this you said about a contract?"

* * *

Sebastian gazed at the reflection before him in the mirror. _To think that only a week ago I was a mere servant…_ He wore a white shirt, blue vest, sky-blue trousers and jacket, black shoes, and a blue necktie. The clothing fit him perfectly, and he made a note to thank Ciel's tailor; she certainly knew her craft.

"Pardon me, sir, but you look quite regal in this outfit. I think it suits you well."

"Oh! Why, thank you, Samuel." The blond butler smiled.

"Of course, my lord. Breakfast will be ready shortly. If you'll follow me."

Vincent sat at the head of the dining table with Ciel to his left, and Sebastian seated himself to his father's right. As the staff served them, he folded his hands in his lap to resist the instinct to do it himself. _I do hope I'm able to get over this quickly, seeing as I still don't exactly feel like a noble yet._

"You read the newspaper this morning, I assume?" Vincent asked. Ciel scoffed.

"They're making too big of a deal over my butler being my brother. Neither one of us knew we were related. It's ridiculous."

"I'm afraid that's how society is, Ciel," Sebastian answered. Good; he hadn't slipped up and called him "my lord" or "young master" this time. That was a start.

"They think _I'm_ to blame for making Sebastian— Selah— my brother— work for me! Like I thought it was a sick joke or something. What _do_ I call you, anyway?"

"Whatever you're comfortable with. Either name will do."

Vincent frowned. "Does that mean I'm the only one who calls you Selah?"

"But that makes it all the more special, don't you see, Father?" Sebastian exclaimed. Ciel snickered.

"Didn't know you were into sentimental things like that, big brother."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "You're going to find that your brother's true personality is a far cry from what I've heard. He's really quite sweet, you know."

Sebastian blushed and looked down at his food, murmuring his thanks. Vincent chuckled. "Come now, love, no need to be shy. We're all family here."

"Is he a Michaelis or a Phantomhive, though?"

"Ciel—"

"It's an honest question. I mean, he _was_ born before the Phantomhives came into existence, but you took the Phantomhive name, so… I don't know, is he a Michaelis-Phantomhive?"

"I still can't believe you managed to guess my surname correctly," Sebastian mused. Ciel shrugged.

"Brotherly intuition? Maybe?"

The ravenette chuckled. "That works."

"No, but seriously? Are you Selah Michaelis or Sebastian Phantomhive or some combination of the two?"

"Selah Sebastian Michaelis Phantomhive…" Vincent muttered.

"That's too long!" Ciel exclaimed. The three burst out laughing. "Can you imagine introducing yourself at parties like that? 'Hello, I'm Selah Sebastian Michaelis Phantomhive, pleasure to meet you!' The ladies would think you're crazy!"

"I think— I think just Selah Phantomhive will do," chuckled Vincent. "Though if you continue to go by Sebastian, people may get confused. Besides, if he uses his original surname, people will think he's illegitimate, and we can't explain the truth behind this whole mess to them."

"So basically there's no good solution to this. Couldn't it be Selah Sebastian Phantomhive? Although I have to admit it doesn't sound that great."

"I guess it will be something to think about, Ciel," Sebastian replied. Ciel nodded.

"Right. Just another thing to get used to. My life is weird."

"It runs in the family," Vincent quipped, and they burst out laughing again.

* * *

 **Okay, so! I'm in a quandary as to how to address Sebastian now, and I'd like your input. Should he continue to go by Sebastian just 'cause that's what we (and everyone else in Kuroshitsuji) are used to? Or should he use his birth name, Selah? Whatever happens, Vincent's always going to call him Selah because that's what he named him. Please review and let me know! I'll use whichever name has the most votes! Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Soooo I didn't get very many reviews before I started writing this chapter (not that I blame you guys, I'm just kind of on a roll here), so I made an executive decision regarding Sebastian/Selah's name. I hope the chapter sufficiently explains my reason for choosing what I did plot-wise. Oh, and while other places probably pronounce Selah as SEE-luh, I pronounce it SAY-luh. I just think it sounds better that way.**

 **Also, please check out my profile and the other fics I've published! Thanks!**

* * *

"So. The Queen recognizes you as the true head of the Phantomhive household," mused Ciel. "So soon? Doesn't that seem a bit suspicious?"

The three Phantomhives strolled down the manor corridors, Vincent carrying a letter from the Queen. "I believe it is a test for her to verify whether I am truly alive. And whether I still deserve to be her Guard Dog after my supposed death."

"So she sends you instructions to attend the Viscount Druitt's upcoming ball? I sincerely thought we'd put an end to his human trafficking scheme," Selah murmured. "Although it's possible someone could be attempting to murder him or one of his guests."

"We must keep a sharp eye out and proceed with extreme caution," Ciel added. "One misstep could mean a horrible demise for either one of us."

Vincent smiled. "You've matured quite swiftly, my son." He saddened. "Perhaps a little too swiftly."

They entered the drawing room when "Bassyyyyyyy!" sounded just outside the manor. Selah gasped and Ciel groaned. Vincent frowned, confused.

"What's going on? Who is that?"

" _That_ would be the most homosexual Grim Reaper in existence. And unfortunately, he's rather obsessed with big brother— that is, Sebastian the demon butler, to be more precise," Ciel explained.

Vincent smirked. "But Sebastian the demon butler no longer lives here. He's been… shall we say, let go. We could tell him that."

"The problem is, I still look like myself. He'll recognize me immediately, and then what?"

Vincent put a finger to his lips. "As far as you and I know, Sebastian the butler never even existed. As far as Ciel knows, he broke off the contract and left shortly before our arrival. We merely need to remember to address you by your birth name. Let's hope the servants are wise enough to do the same."

Samuel entered and served afternoon tea. As he did so, Selah motioned to him and whispered in his ear the details of their predicament. He nodded. "I see, my lord. I shall offer any assistance necessary."

* * *

 _BAM!_ Grell burst into the room. "My dear Bassy!—" He stopped short at the sight of the family of three and their butler. "WHAT?! What's this?! Bassy dearest, is this something the little brat ordered you to do? Having tea with the family like you're one of them? And who's that?" He pointed at a perplexed Vincent.

"That man just so happens to be my missing father, Vincent Phantomhive," Ciel replied. "You see, he's finally come back after searching for my dear brother. He was terribly lucky to survive the fire the night our mansion burned to the ground." He turned to Vincent. "Father, this is Grell Sutcliffe, Grim Reaper and former butler to Madam Red."

"I'm one deadly efficient butler, if I do say so myself!" Grell struck his signature pose. "But enough about me! I only came for my sweet Bassy, you see!"

"I'm afraid I _don't_ see," said Vincent. "Who exactly is this 'Bassy' you keep mentioning? I don't seem to recall anyone by that name."

"He means my old butler Sebastian. You wouldn't know him, Father. He left not long before you arrived, I'm afraid. Quite an interesting and enigmatic character, I believe; I think the two of you would've gotten along splendidly."

"Whaaaaa? But Bassy's sitting right here!" Grell pointed at Selah. "Having tea with you! How can you not notice your own butler when he's right in front of you?" Then he grinned. "Oh, I see now. Bassy's gone and gotten himself a new master and a new name and is doing business for him. My, and here I thought he wanted to stay and eat your soul. Guess he broke the contract, eh?" He turned to Selah. "I really do commend you for ridding yourself of that brat, but you didn't have to go and make another contract! We could've been so happy together, Bassy— but there's still time to get together, you know. Oh, how I desire to bear your children! We could be a happy family together!"

Vincent reddened and covered his mouth, retching. Selah trembled and shrank into his chair, away from Grell. The red-haired Reaper noticed this.

"Bassy, love, are you all right?"

Selah stared up at him, eyes wide with fear and confusion. "I-I'm afraid you've quite lost me, sir."

"Lost? What do you mean?"

"I believe you've confused me with your friend. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Selah Phantomhive, the older brother of Ciel. My father and I came here about a week ago to reunite with our dear family member, you see."

Grell scoffed. "Don't be silly! You look and sound exactly like Bassy! I'm not fooled for an instant!"

Selah glanced at his brother. "Is that true, Ciel? Do I really resemble your former butler that much?"

Ciel gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Sebastian needed to look like someone I knew and could trust. Simple enough. He must have seen Father and me together and found out about you somehow, then changed his appearance to that of yours. Not much of an intellectual leap to figure it out."

Grell pouted, then brightened. "Well, even if he isn't Bassy, he still looks just like him! He'll do marvelously!" And with that, he launched himself into Selah's lap, sending the ravenette's tea flying. Samuel caught the cup and saucer without spilling a drop just in time.

Selah pushed at Grell, who had his arms wrapped around him in a vice-like grip. "Um, please… If you would be so kind as to get off…. You're making me rather uncomfortable…. And you're crushing me—" His face flushed, however, when Grell began kissing him on the cheek. "P-Please stop! I've had quite enough!"

"You heard my son. Please remove yourself from his lap." Vincent glared at the Reaper. "I won't have my child uncomfortable in his own home."

Samuel pulled Grell off of Selah and deposited him on the floor. Vincent stood. "I don't like such shows of impropriety in my household. If you've no other business, then please leave at once."

"But— But— How dare you kick a lady out, sir! Some gentleman _you_ are!" Grell shot back. "I'll have you know that I could just as easily have you put on the next 'To Die' list for such a slight!"

"I don't care who you are or what you can do. My priority is my children's safety, and you pose a possible threat to Selah's physical and mental health. In order to preserve my son's happiness, I must ask you to vacate the premises. If you resist, Samuel will be happy to escort you out. Please do us all a favor and don't put up any resistance."

Grell growled and clenched his hands near his face. "I'll get you one day, Vincent Phantomhive! I'll get you for separating my true love and me! Goodbye, sweet look-alike Bassy! Wait for my return, my darling!" He blew a kiss to Selah before Samuel dragged him out of the drawing room.

Once Grell was out of earshot, Ciel sighed. "Of course he was bound to show up sooner rather than later, what with all the newspapers going crazy about our situation. Although I think we were fortunate enough that he hasn't read one yet."

Vincent sat down and picked up his tea. "What a disgusting pervert. How long has he been bothering you, Selah?"

"Well, I _was_ a demon at the time, so—"

" _Selah_."

Selah averted his eyes. "About a couple years or so, since the Jack the Ripper murders."

"That's not good. His unhealthy obsession for you has grown in that timeframe."

"I think Grell was already maximally obsessed with him from the get-go. Nothing's changed."

"I see." Vincent rested his head on his hand in thought. "How exactly _do_ Grim Reapers work? Are they freelancers, or do they have some sort of organization?"

"They do, in fact," Ciel stated. "It's called the Grim Reaper Association. Grell's superior, William T. Spears, is often the one to rein him in. Since Selah's not a demon anymore, it should be easier for us to work with him and have him keep Grell away from my brother."

"Well, that's good news, at any rate." Vincent glanced at his older son. "Selah, are you all right? You look paler than usual."

The ravenette set his tea down. "I'm afraid that little encounter drained me more than I expected. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll rest for a bit."

Ciel frowned as his brother left the room. "That's not like him at all."

"No, it's completely like him," Vincent reassured him. "He was rather sickly as a child, and even as an adult he's not very strong. It will take some getting used to, just like his birth name and true personality."

"He's almost an entirely different person from Sebastian, yet they're both one and the same."

"Selah Phantomhive is _not_ Sebastian the demon. While there may be similarities, I imagine that becoming a demon twists one's personality into a dark caricature of their genuine self. Sebastian might have had good qualities, but he did not have a heart. And another thing I've learned is that the devil will tempt people by making something evil seem good and pure in order to make them fall more easily for it. That's why your ex-butler seemed perfect on the outside and in his actions."

"So much deception…" Ciel mused. "You and Selah are teaching me some interesting concepts about God and the devil that I never knew before. Did you pick these up during your long lives from other Christians?"

"Actually, a good deal of it came from my own study of, and meditation on, the Bible and spiritual things, especially in the past couple of years. I have Samuel to thank me for keeping me accountable." He leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees. "You should give God a chance, Ciel. I know you might not be inclined to, given your trials, but you must also understand that it is He you have to thank for bringing us back together. If you have any questions, your brother and I would be happy to help."

"Very well." Ciel stood. "I will look into it as you ask."

* * *

"You didn't seem disturbed by our talk of demons and Reapers, Samuel."

Samuel glanced over at the ravenette, who lay on his back in his bed. "Trust me when I say I've seen my share of superhuman beings, master. Besides, I already know your story; your father told me, and he tends to entrust me with these types of things."

"So you're good friends, then?"

Samuel tilted his head in thought. "When this mansion burned, Vincent fell unconscious and was taken captive by a group that keeps good-looking people as... well, toys, for lack of a better word. I actually helped treat him for smoke inhalation when they brought him back."

"You're a doctor?"

"No, but my sister is. She taught me most of what she knew in case I as a butler had to provide medical care to my master. A good thing, too; your father could've been lost otherwise, the poisoning was so bad. It still affects him from time to time, though he's getting better."

"Oh. So my father was in captivity for three years? Were you with him most of the time?"

"Yes, indeed. He says I helped reignite his faith, and about a year after he entered captivity, he gave himself to Christ. I was really quite happy for him when he told me."

Selah smiled. "My father is very fortunate to have a friend like you. _We're_ fortunate to have a friend like you."

"Thank you, my lord. Shall I leave you to get some rest, then?"

"Yes, thank you." Samuel left the room and closed the door.

* * *

"Oh, Ciel! You're even more adorable than the last time I saw you!"

"Hello, Lizzy," Ciel grumbled. "I suppose you heard the news that my father is alive?"

"Oh, yes! Oh, I'm so happy for you, Ciel!" Lizzy grabbed his hands and spun him 'round and 'round. "It'll be so much fun with him around again!"

Vincent chuckled as he descended the stairs. "Ah, Lizzy. Energetic as ever, I see! How are you, my darling niece?"

"Why, I'm perfectly lovely, thank you!" She let go of Ciel and ran to hug Vincent. Ciel flew backwards and Selah caught him, then righted him with a chuckle. Ciel sighed.

"Thanks."

"No problem, little brother." At that, Lizzy perked up.

"That's right! Sebastian's your brother now, Ciel! Isn't that absolutely exciting?" She paused. "But how is it that you two _didn't_ know you were brothers? I mean, you do look plenty alike."

"Well, it's quite complicated, you see. Let's just say that Providence had His watch over all of us, hmm?" Selah suggested. "Come, let's talk in here." Ciel nodded and took Lizzy's arm as Samuel led the three off to a sitting room somewhere in the mansion.

Vincent watched them go and chuckled. "She's just as happy and lively as I remember her, eh, Francis?"

His sister's eyes narrowed. "You're avoiding the issue at hand. I can't believe you let that lecherous butler actually take a place in your family alongside your own son! He's a terrible influence on the boy! No man in his right mind would let a _servant_ become a nobleman! Are you practically asking for the scandal?"

Vincent sighed. "Selah— that's his real name— was my son long before Ciel. His mother died before I came to your family, and by that time he had already disappeared. I've been searching for him for so long, Francis! So long, in fact, that I thought— that he was dead."

"Oh?"

"So you can imagine my surprise when I came back and found him in service to his own brother! I couldn't believe it… and most importantly, he remembered me. I know that their mothers are gone, but to have both my children with me… It makes me feel complete. Now we're all together where we belong. And besides, I'm overjoyed that Ciel gets to grow up with his brother around."

"You don't understand. That man may be polite, but his attitude is not fit for polite society at all, mark my words!"

"That's because you've never met the real Selah. Up until recently, his memories of much of his life had been erased— or so we thought. He's an utterly different person when he's his true self."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Just watch him. I know his real personality, and it's shown itself continuously ever since he got his memories back." Vincent opened the door to the drawing room where the others sat and ushered her in.

As soon as tea ended, Elizabeth decided to go off and play a game with Ciel. "You come as well, Sebastian!" she called. Selah gave his father a sheepish smile, and Vincent laughed.

"Go ahead and make sure they don't run into trouble, love."

"Yes, Father." Selah rose, bowed, and followed the teens out of the sitting room.

* * *

"Hide-and-Seek? Lizzy, why can't we just play chess?"

Lizzy hmphed and crossed her arms. "You always want to play chess, Ciel! Besides, how is Sebastian supposed to join in? It's for two players!"

"First of all, Hide-and-Seek is a game for children, _not_ teenagers; and secondly, his real name is Selah, not Sebastian."

"Oh." Lizzy looked up at Selah. "It's not?"

"No, my lady. When I first came to work here, I didn't remember anything about my former life, much less my first name. So your cousin kindly gave me the name of his beloved dog," Selah replied. Lizzy frowned.

"But you remembered your last name was Michaelis? But you're a Phantomhive…. I don't understand."

"I don't expect you to. Like I said, the whole affair is quite complicated, and… well… I don't think you'd believe half of it. I can't believe a good part of it myself, but then we're all still adjusting."

"So you _are_ a Phantomhive."

"Yes. My full name is Selah Michaelis Phantomhive, in case you wanted to know."

"Oh. Okay! That does sound rather lovely!"

"Why, thank you, Lizzy."

Lizzy clapped her hands together. "Now then! Back to the game at hand! I think Hide-and-Seek is for everyone, Ciel, and that's why I suggested it! Come on, don't be so dreary!"

Selah smiled. "It could be fun, Ciel. You never know what good memories you might miss out on by not playing."

Ciel sighed and uncrossed his arms. "All right, fine. But I blame you, Selah."

"Now, now, I'm only trying to be as good of a big brother as I can be."

They decided that Ciel would be It first and took off through the mansion while the blunette counted aloud. Selah darted into the kitchen and, seeing Samuel polishing the silverware, had an idea. "Samuel!"

"Yes, my lord?" The blond glanced up. "What is it you need?"

"Well, Lizzy wanted Ciel and I to play Hide-and-Seek with her, and I had an idea how to hide from my brother just now. They say that it's more difficult to find what you want if it's in plain sight."

Samuel grinned. "I think I know what it is you want to do." He ushered the younger man out of the kitchen and into a nearby room. "Quickly now, we don't have much time. We might have different hair and eye colors, but Ciel won't be looking for those. However, if he sees me like this, he _will_ guess what we're up to."

"So hide in your wardrobe in your room, then. Carefully, of course. Or if you really want to confuse him, put another set of your uniform on."

The two snickered. "This will be great fun."

Lizzy had the same idea as she ran into Mey-rin while the maid dusted the library. "Oh! Mey-rin! Do you think you could help me? I'm playing Hide-and-Seek with Ciel and Selah, and I need a good place to hide! I was thinking… could we swap?"

Mey-rin squealed. "Ooh, that sounds like fun, yes, it does! Here, I'll close all the doors and curtains so nobody sees us dressing! But where should I go, young mistress?"

"Out in the garden to read. Oh, and I'll need those if we're to fool Ciel thoroughly." She pointed to Mey-rin's glasses. The maid frowned, then handed them over.

"I s'pose you're right. But take good care of those, my lady! They were a gift from the young master, yes, they, were!"

"I promise I'l keep them safe." Lizzy put the glasses on and promptly squawked. "How can you even see in these?! They're positively horrid!"

"Well, I _am_ extremely farsighted, my lady."

Ciel finished counting. "Ready or not, here I come!" he shouted, and strode through the mansion.

Selah looked down at the gleaming silverware with pride. _I still have it in me,_ he thought. _Yes, it's only been nearly a fortnight, but I wonder how much of my talent for being a butler was never mine in the first place?_ He concentrated. _Right. Normally I would begin dinner preparations._ "Bard, what did Samuel say he had in mind for dinner tonight?"

Bard rattled off the different dishes, and Selah got to work. One dish needed herbs, of which the kitchen had yet to be restocked, so he went out to the garden. Finny, tending to the flowerbeds, looked up at him and waved. "Hello, Samuel!" Then he stopped, eyes wide. Selah ran to him and laid his finger on the teen's lips before he could say another word.

"Lizzy, Ciel, and I are playing Hide-and-Seek, and Ciel is It. I'm trying to make the game harder for him."

Finny nodded. "Right! I won't say anything!"

Selah fetched the herbs and went back inside. As he headed toward the kitchen, Ciel walked down the hall towards him. _Aaah! Right! Okay, keep calm, act normal, you're just doing what you usually do. You're in your old routine, serving the young master. You're just going to go make his supper, just like any other ordinary day._

It took all of his willpower not to break character when Ciel walked right past him without so much as a "Found you!" He reached the kitchen and set the herbs down, wondering, _Did he really not notice me?_

 _The game's not over yet. Let's see how long it takes before I have to reveal myself to him._

* * *

Ciel peeked inside the library for what felt like the hundredth time. Mey-rin dusted the bookcase over in the far corner, then turned and knocked over a vase with her elbow. "Waaaghh!" She reached out to catch it, but some of the water inside spilled on the floor. "Oops. Sorry, young master!"

Ciel sighed. "Go fetch a towel and clean it up this instant."

"Y-Yes, young master!" She set the vase down and went to leave the room. Ciel rolled his eyes, then did a double-take.

"Since when did you have _blond_ hair?"

"Hmm? Oh, Lizzy said she thought it looked adorable on me, yes, she did! I thought I might give it a try just to please her, you know!"

Ciel frowned and stepped closer, slipping the maid's glasses off. "What?! Lizzy!"

Lizzy giggled. "You went through here _seven times_ and it took you _that_ long to notice?"

"Well… okay, yes, I wasn't expecting that. Not bad. Now we just need to find Selah."

"Do you have any idea where he is?" Lizzy asked as she folded Mey-rin's glasses and tucked them away in a pocket. "Maybe we should ask the others? I think Tanaka and your new butler— Samuel, right?— might have an idea."

"Good thinking." Together the two teens made another round about the manor. They looked in the sitting room where Vincent and Francis still sat, deep in discussion. Ciel knocked and entered. "Excuse me. Has Selah gone through here during the past hour or so?"

"No—" Vincent started, but then burst out laughing at his niece's outfit. "Lizzy— hee hee— isn't that Mey-rin's— ha ha— uniform?"

"We're playing Hide-and-Seek, and she decided to hide in plain sight."

"It worked, too!" Lizzy laughed as well. "He went through the library where I was dusting _several times_ before he finally figured it out!"

"We haven't found Selah yet, and we thought you might have seen him."

"I— hee hee— I haven't." Vincent calmed himself down but still snickered. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Great. Just great. Thank you."

"He might be hiding in his wardrobe," Lizzy suggested as they continued on their hunt. "Or a closet of some sort. It's the only thing I can think of that he could fit himself into."

"I've tried every wardrobe and closet in the darn manor and haven't seen a single glimpse of him yet! Wait! No, I haven't! I never tried Samuel's wardrobe! Come on!" The two ran to the butler's room and burst in, making a beeline for the wardrobe. "At least I don't have to worry about an army of cats falling out." He opened the doors only to be met with a row of tailcoats. "Well, that's a bust."

"That _does_ sound pretty funny, though, when you were looking through his stuff and you found all his cats in the wardrobe!"

"It wasn't funny because I was allergic to them!" Despite himself, Ciel grinned. It probably _was_ funny now. "Okay, now where to? The kitchen?"

"Sure."

* * *

Halfway through the dinner preparations, Selah frowned at the voices just down the hall. _Ciel must have found Lizzy and is looking for me. I'd better stay calm or he'll notice me._ Through the corner of his eye, he watched as the two entered the kitchen. Lizzy's eyes met his, and he gave a slight nod. She returned it and glanced at Ciel, who stood talking to Bard. Selah's eyes lingered on her uniform, and he bit his tongue to keep his laughter down. _It looks as though she had the same idea I had! How funny!_ Finny came in at that moment with vegetables for the soup. He handed them to Selah, who took them and began chopping them.

"Finny, have you seen—" Ciel stopped. "Selah!"

They all burst out laughing, and Selah put down the knife. "You walked right past me in the hall and didn't notice!"

"Oh, you should've seen how many times he went into the library without realizing it was me instead of Mey-rin!" Lizzy tittered. "I can't believe we had the same idea to switch places with the servants!"

"I can't believe I couldn't tell the both of you apart from the servants!" Ciel snorted. "Are you absolutely certain you two didn't consult each other?"

"Quite positive," replied Selah. "If I recall correctly, we went in opposite directions when you started the countdown."

The group laughed a bit longer before Finny suggested, "Young master, you should swap clothes with me so that all three of you match!"

"Oh, do it, Ciel, I want to see!" cried Lizzy. Ciel smirked and took the gardener off to swap. When the two came back, everyone burst out laughing again.

"Yeah, okay, I look ridiculous," Ciel said. He snickered at Finny.

"Your clothes are too small! Forget the shoes, I could barely squeeze into the rest of it!" Finny exclaimed, making everyone laugh harder.

When they finally calmed down, the three nobles went and switched back with their respective servants. Still giggling, they made their way to the dining room where the two adults stood chatting. Vincent smiled at them. "Ah, there you three are. What other mischief have you been up to all this time?"

"We'll tell you over dinner," Ciel answered. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that was the most interesting game of Hide-and-Seek I've played in a long time!"

Selah chuckled. "I heartily agree. We'll have to have more in the future, little brother."

 _Just hearing you laugh is worth it._


End file.
